Predetermining time delay



Jan. 11, 1944. A DQNQFRIQ 2,338,803

PREDETERMINING TIME DELAY Filed Dec. 22, 1941 Patented Jan. 11, 1944 2,338,803 rannnmnmmo TIME DELAY Alfonso M. Donofrio, Toledo, Ohio Application December 22, 1941, Serial No. 423,989

2 Claims.

This invention relates to timing, when operatons are to occur, by a dlssoluble element.

This invention has utility when embodied in effervescent salt compound eifecting positioning of an actuation member and dissoluble in clearway for electrical or mechanical functioning.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, showing an embodiment of the invention in a toy battleship adapted for time delay release hereunder as symbolically responsive to bomb action or explosion;

Fig. 2 is a view of the device of Fig. 1, where in a time delay has functioned for the set-off o explosion-like operation; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the dissoluble body of predetermined time delay effervescent salt compound, when such is a cylindrical section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a polygonal type of effervescent tablet for the functioning hereunder, wherein there may be purpose in holding the device against angular shifting or advantage for different spaced relations with the same time delay; and

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the invention for electric control in lieu of the mechanical control as disclosed in Fig. 1.

A toy herein is shown as vessel hull or body I having pit 2 therein as a vessel containing bath 3. Spring 4 in guide 5 has throw head 6, which head 6 may be retained to compress the spring 4 when trigger 1 having pivot 8 is in holding position therefor. This held position for the trigger 1 may be efiected by having remote arm 9 of this trigger lever I, 9, so thrown when tablet I is between this movable member portion 9 of the trigger and fixed mounting, herein shown as side wall of the guide 5.

In the functioning hereunder, this cap like tablet or effervescent predetermined formed body In may be placed to set the member 9 and thereby the trigger is in holding position for the projectable body against the action of compressed helical spring 4. In the predetermined timing hereunder, this toy as set afloat or otherwise this operation, and as there is thus snap release of the projectile 6 upon movement of the trigger portion of the lever 1 clear therefrom, such upward projection of the body 6 is herein shown as effecting dispersion of elements of the toy, such as cabin portion I I having its dowel I! clear the hull I. In this expulsion operation of the projector element 6, funnels i3, i4, may have their dowels i5 clear the cabin portion II, and I pilot house l6 may have its dowel l'l clear the hull of the toy vessel I. Accordingly, as this explosion operation has been to the amusement of the onlookers, it is only necessary to assemble and in the assembling put in the cap or predetermlning time body member on resetting of the trigger. If this be with the absence of bath 3 there may be a deferred action until the next time a bath is introduced and accordingly a time delay thereafter. In the event there is to be repetition of the operation, the bath 3 may be left, or may be recharged in the event the bath liquid might become too strong to effect the solvent rate for which the predetermined schedule hereunder is adopted.

In carrying out this practice, there may be in the effervescent compound a composition of say 20 per cent citric acid, 20 per cent tartaric'acid,

and 60 per cent sodium bicarbonate. The acids used as an amusement device, may have the vesmately inch in diameter and for 15 seconds timing compressed to V inch thick, are about one hundred to a 3 fluid ounce vessel, as a pharmaceutical bottle.

In the event there be desire to increase the timing say to 1 minute, the compression on this same diameter capsule may reduce the thick-- ness to say 1'; inch and thereby delay the timing from the 15 seconds to 1 minute. This smaller or thinner tablet of the cylindrical form will accordingly pack somewhat more than one hundred and as many as one hundred and fifty or upward in a 3 ounce bottle.

On the basis of experience that this efiervescing is an effective solvent for fully clearing the spacing between the members set, this may be used in'conjunction with electric toys, whether for depth bomb, torpedo, battleship of such type of toy, or even in actual warfare practice or burglar alarms or other occasion for appropriate time delay as electrically controlled. Accordingly, with this installation l8, line l9 therefrom may be to electric energy source 20 with line 2| therefrom past manually controllable switch 22 and by line 23 to spring arm it having terminal 2! normally flexed to abut opposing terminal or contact 28 of spring arm 21' connected by line II to the installation ll having therein the safety signal, whether burglar alarm to be seen or heard, as light or siren. bell or annunciator, or whether such bein torpedo ejection in warfare,

or likewise for war depth bomb, time bomb, or

' experience with this effervescent salt, especially as the neutralizing action between the acid and base, has not meant that the initial water bath 30. even tap water, has served as electrolyte under such low voltage. A definite timing is thus eifected by the dissolving or the spacer or effervescent predetermined formed or packed body 2!. As such is dissolved in the time delay lapse, the

,eifervescing action so disperses the compoundthat no fragments of the compound are present to interfere with positive direct contacting between the terminals or contacts 26, 25, thereby closing the circuit for functioning as the device has been pre-set at the manual switch 22 and the control has been adopted by the submergence or bath 30.

In adopting polygonal body 32 as the time de- 2,ass,sos

Again there may be occasion to hold the body angularly against shifting which is adaptable in the polygonal type as against the cylindrical type of body 20.

The self-neutralizing eifervescent salt has been 7 effective lmder low voltage for electric contact completion in submergence with avoidance of electrolytic disturbance. -In the event there may be purpose to avoid such hazard, thecontacts maybe clear of the bath and operated say from the functioning of the trigger. a

what is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is: a

l. A control device comprising a pair of spaced members adapted for relative movement and to perform an operation when caused to approach each other, means urging said members toward each other, a tablet of soluble material adapted to hold said members in mutually spacedrelation, a solvent adapted to' attack said tablet to destroy the same upon immersion of the latter therein, the material of said tablet being eifervescent under the action of said solvent thereon to expel the tablet material completely from between said members. a

2. A control device comprising a pair oi spaced members adapted for relative movement and to perform an operation when caused to approach each other, means urging said-members toward each other, a tablet of soluble material adapted to hold said members in mutually spaced relalay, the larger area flat sidesmay be adopted when there is relatively close spacing between the control members to be positioned. when there is a larger travel latitude the oblong sides of the member 32 may be adopted in the spacing.

tion, a solvent adapted to attack said tablet to destroy the same upon immersion of the latter therein, the material of said tablet being effervescent under the action of said solvent thereon to expel the tablet material completely from between said members, and being selectively precompressed during formation of said tablet to determine the rate of dissolution of the tablet in said solvent.

- ALFONSO M. DONOFRIO. 

